


A Chat After the Storm

by Lilypetal347



Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon)
Genre: Cassandra and Quirin are mentioned, Gen, Light Angst, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Minor Injuries, spoilers for s03e12: Cassandra’s Revenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-04
Updated: 2020-06-04
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:33:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,305
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24539296
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lilypetal347/pseuds/Lilypetal347
Summary: Varian harbors guilt after the encounter with Cassandra at her tower. Luckily, Rapunzel is there to be a comforting voice and listen to what he has to say.OrRapunzel and Varian have a chat in the Demanitus Chamber right after the events of Cassandra’s Revenge.
Relationships: Rapunzel & Varian (Disney)
Comments: 20
Kudos: 104





	A Chat After the Storm

**Author's Note:**

> Hello and welcome to my first ever attempt at a fanfic! This mainly came about because I wondered if Varian ever told Rapunzel (or really anyone) what happened in Cassandra’s tower before the rescue got there. Varian in general didn’t really have a shown reaction after all the things he went through in the episode, so I wanted to explore that. Also, he got thrown across a room via black rocks; he should have some kind of injury. Anyways, without further ado, enjoy the story!

Rapunzel is greeted by the sound of tinkling glass shards as she descends the long stairs into the Demanitus Chamber. 

The once grand laboratory is a rather sad sight to behold now. Cassandra’s break-in had destroyed almost everything. The center of the circular chamber where the large, amber-covered machine once stood like a reverent statue now only held a gaping hole surrounded by pieces of the great device. Among the debris covering the floor, the remains of many beakers, vials, alchemical compounds, and a lab table are prominent features, and the wall that Varian doused with acid to cover his translation key still glows a pale yellow green in the dim night lighting. 

Speaking of Varian, Rapunzel catches sight of the young alchemist among the rubble. He is crouching low on one knee and looking around the ground. His gloved hand brushes away some glass and broken wood to pick up a small leather-bound journal. Stepping away from the base of the stairs, Rapunzel finally announces her presence. “Varian, there you are!” 

Varian, not hearing the princess’ approach once again, jumps with a yelp, dropping his journal and further crushing some glass under his boots. He manages to not lose balance and turns to the unseen visitor with a hand over his racing heart. “Rapunzel, can you please not sneak up on me like that? That’s the second time today!”

Rapunzel simply laughs and shoots an amused smile at the boy. “Varian, you really need to pay better attention to your surroundings. I wasn’t even trying to be stealthy, and I still startled you!” Varian is about to retort, but he is distracted when he looks over at the princess, and his eyes go wide. 

“Wait, don’t step closer!” he barks and waves his hands, successfully stopping the princess in her tracks. “There’s a lot of glass over here, and you don’t have shoes.” 

Rapunzel gasps and quickly backpedals a few steps. “Oh, right, thanks for the warning. I didn’t even think about that.” Her sheepish smile morphs into a questioning gaze, and she tilts her head, “Anyway, what are you doing down here, Varian? You should be asleep. The maids are already planning to clean up this mess, so you don’t have to worry about it.” 

Varian scratches his neck as he carefully bends down to pick up his dropped notebook. “Yeah, I know, but I wanted to see if I could salvage anything down here.” The boy looks down at the journal in his hands and then the debris covered floor with a small frown. “My notes are okay, but most of my supplies in here got destroyed,” he states glumly. 

Rapunzel follows his gaze with an apologetic look. “I’m really sorry about the mess. I know this place means a lot to you.” Varian quickly reassures her that it’s okay, and the princess gives the alchemist her trademark bright smile. “But don’t worry, I’ll make sure that you get new supplies and a fixed Demanitus Chamber.” 

Varian tries for a small smile, but a sadness going even deeper than the destroyed chamber permeates his face. Honestly, she doesn’t blame him after all he went through today. Rapunzel wishes that she could walk close enough to put a comforting hand on the boy’s shoulder without impaling her bare feet on glass shards and splinters. Instead, she glances around once more at the destruction from the attack: _Cassandra’s_ attack. She grimaces at the stinging reminder of how far her former best friend had fallen. Rapunzel couldn’t believe all the things Cass was willing to do, especially to Varian. Sure, the last time Cass and Varian saw each other was when they fought during the battle of Old Corona, but Cassandra really only had beef with her now, not Varian. Also, Rapunzel couldn’t help but remember a time when the former handmaiden gave the boy a blue ribbon along with the right to call her “Cassie.” So for Cassandra to attack, kidnap, manipulate, and dangle Varian out a window? And then turn around and try to kill her and Eugene? It’s like she isn’t even the same person. 

In some ways, maybe she really isn’t. 

Rapunzel shakes her head to get rid of the dark thoughts and focuses on why she was looking for the alchemist in the first place. “Well, try not to take too long. Your father was getting worried. He said that someone in your condition needs rest to get better, and frankly, I agree.” She crosses her arms with a stern face, but it quickly dissolves into a concerned look as she watches Varian gingerly lower his body to the ground to inspect another vial; she doesn’t miss the way his face briefly scrunches in pain as he bends over. “By the way, how are you feeling?” 

“Oh, I’m fine, really,” he assures her, gently placing a hand over where his bruised torso laid underneath his shirt. “The doctor said my ribs may hurt for awhile, but they’re only bruised. I should be back to normal in a few weeks if I keep icing the area and taking the pain medicine.” 

Rapunzel hums in thought. “Okay, but you better get some rest now. And no major lab work until you’re healed up,” she lectures, playfully wagging her finger, “Don’t want those injuries to get worse.” 

Varian rolls his eyes with a slightly exasperated groan, but he sends her a fond smile regardless. “Yeah yeah, okay _mom _,” he snarks, and then pouts slightly, “I know my dad probably already has a plan to keep me away from any experimenting for the time being.” Rapunzel chuckles with sympathy as he slowly stands up.__

____

Varian gives the room a once over, seemingly checking if there is anything left to retrieve. However, Rapunzel can tell by his thoughtful expression that he has something else to say, and has had something to say for awhile, judging by the air of sorrow he’d had since returning from Cassandra’s tower. The boy bites his lip in thought, debating with himself, before finally turning and walking over to face Rapunzel. “Princess,” he starts, hesitating, but continues when she gestures for him to go on. His face is riddled with guilt and sadness as he looks at her from behind his long bangs. “Rapunzel, I… I’m sorry.” 

____

“Sorry? For what?” Rapunzel’s confused expression softens as a thought occurs to her. “Varian, if you’re talking about giving Cass the incantation, I already told you, that wasn’t-” 

____

“No, I-I’m not talking about the incantation…it’s...” He looks away and wrings his hands together. “...I tried to talk to her.”

____

Rapunzel’s eyes widen at this new information. Varian tried to talk to Cass? Why was he sorry? She wants to know what exactly happened, but looking at him, it is clear that the subject was a sore spot. Varian’s eyes remain averted, and his hands fiddle with each of his fingers. 

____

“It...didn’t go very well,” he finishes with a sigh.

____

Rapunzel places a hand on the boy’s slumped shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. He looks back up once again and is met with the princess’ sympathetic and patient expression. “Would you like to talk about it?”

____

Varian’s eyes dart away for a second, but they return to hers shortly after with slightly more resolve within them. He gives her a small nod. 

____

“It was shortly after Cass made the tower. She took me to the top and told me not to try anything.” Varian pauses and bites his lip, “...but I saw what she was doing, and it reminded me…of when _I _became a bad guy. I didn’t want to see her make the same mistakes I did. So...I tried to talk her out of it. I tried to empathize with her, to warn her about what would happen if she kept going down a path of hatred...”__

______ _ _

Rapunzel frowns, having tried to reason with Cassandra herself and knowing how that ended. “I’m guessing she didn’t want to hear it, right?”

______ _ _

Varian seems to curl inward at this with an even sadder expression. “That’s the thing, though. I _thought _I was really getting through to her. It looked like she was listening, like she was reconsidering her choices.”__

________ _ _ _ _

The boy clenches his hands into fists with a small scowl. “And then, I worded a statement a bit poorly… I called her a villain.” 

________ _ _ _ _

Rapunzel’s eyes widen slightly, but she lets Varian continue. “I thought that maybe, the harsh truth would be able to reach her… but it only made her angrier. That’s when she started lashing out, and I was on the receiving end of a part of it,” he laments, moving a hand over his chest. “I tried to reach out again, but she didn’t want to hear it anymore, so I was put in that cage.”

________ _ _ _ _

Rapunzel tilts her head. “But Varian, why are you apologizing for this?”

________ _ _ _ _

Varian looks away for the umpteenth time. “Don’t you get it? I tried so hard to get through to her, but I _failed _. I know how much you want to get Cass back... I want to get Cass back too... and I still messed it up.” Varian clutches his right arm with his left hand in a self hug, looking down in shame. “I-I couldn’t even use my past as a bad guy to help her out. Rapunzel… I’m so s-sorry.”__

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Tears prick at the young alchemist’s eyes once he finishes. Rapunzel, still processing Varian’s words, quickly takes notice and frowns sadly. She immediately places her hands on the boy’s shoulders to get his attention again. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Varian, listen to me. You did everything you could. You have grown _so much _and learned from your mistakes, and I have no doubt that you probably are the most qualified to try and reach Cassandra.” Varian seems to shrink slightly at the implication of her words in the context of his actual failure. Before he can wallow in his sorrow again, Rapunzel gently lifts his chin up with a hand to meet her eyes once more. “But the thing is, Cass… she hasn’t gone through what you had to. Cass hasn’t looked at her actions and decided whether they are right or not. What she's doing, she’s doing because of a deep anger and resentment. And if I’ve learned anything, it’s that anger can blind a person and make them unable to see reason.” Both of them look away awkwardly at this, knowing who exactly taught her that. Rapunzel recovers fast and gives Varian’s shoulders a squeeze to refocus him.__

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“My point is, it isn’t your fault that Cass chose to ignore your advice. She’s… making her own decisions, even at the expense of others…” Rapunzel trails off with a sad look, remembering a time when her former best friend was always so selfless and controlled. 

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The princess quickly schools her expression by grounding herself in the present reality. Varian gazes at her with tears still shimmering in his large blue eyes, looking very much like the kid he still was regardless of all that had happened to him. Her lips curl into a small genuine smile. “And honestly, what you did, trying to reason with her using your own experience? Despite the negative feelings you have for your past actions? That was really brave.” Rapunzel smiles brightly before taking the boy’s hands and saying the warmth filled words straight from her heart.

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Varian, I’m so proud of you.”

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Varian looks at her with a stunned expression. Her happiness after he fixed the red rock fiasco didn’t even compare to how that simple sentence made him feel now. She wasn’t angry at all… she was proud of him!

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

As the realization sinks in, the boy’s face slowly changes from stunned to indescribably happy. Tears fall from his eyes at last, but they’re tears of relief and joy rather than shame, and a watery smile adorns his face. Rapunzel swiftly pulls Varian into a tight bear hug, which he returns whole-heartedly after only a moment's hesitation without any regard for his injuries. He’s openly sobbing with emotion now, and Rapunzel can’t help but shed a few tears as well. The room is filled with the sound of Varian and Rapunzel’s teary laughter as they cling to the other.

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Finally, after the tears slow to sniffles and the silence reins again, Rapunzel backs out of the embrace just enough to look at Varian’s tear-streaked face. The alchemist smiles up at her as he wipes away some of the tear tracks. “...T-Thank you, Rapunzel. That… that means a lot to me.”

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The princess smiles back and moves some of his tear soaked bangs out of his face with affection. “Anytime, Varian. And I meant every word.”

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Rapunzel looks around at the ruins of the chamber and the darkness that has become more apparent since she first arrived. “Now, how about we get out of here and get some rest? We all had a long day today.”

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Varian nods in agreement. “Yeah, I think I’m ready to hit the hay.”

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Rapunzel loops her arm around the boy’s shoulders as they walk to the stairs. With it being so late after rescuing Varian, the princess had insisted that Varian and the newly arrived Quirin stay at the castle for the night. Looking at the boy now, face filled with joy for the first time since he returned from his kidnapping, joy from her encouragement, Rapunzel is extremely happy with her decision. 

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Rapunzel and Varian walk out of the destroyed Demanitus Chamber and towards the bedrooms in a comfortable silence. Rapunzel may not have been able to reach Cassandra quite yet, but at the very least, she was able to give her young friend the reassurance that he sorely needed.

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

And that was a victory in her book.

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Because this is my first attempt at fanfic writing, any and all advice and criticism is welcomed. Feel free to leave a comment and give me your thoughts!


End file.
